Malo e lelei!
Welcome to The Kingdom of Tonga!
Upon arrival in Tonga, there was a tsunami warning....
this will be my life for the next 2 years.
We stayed in the capital of Nuku'alofa for 4 days where we had basic cultural and language training. Afterwards, we jetted off to the Ha’apai group, which is an group of islands not developed whatsoever. I lived in the village of Lotofoa which had approximately 200 people for 8 weeks. There we took language classes in the morning and culture activities during the afternoons.
Everyone knew us as we were celebrities.
The first 4 weeks of training was language and cultural training. The two weeks after that was model school. And the last two weeks was cultural and language training.
Tonga is gorgeous! It is the beginning of summer so it is very hot and humid. I am getting tan but I can not show my shoulders nor knees so you can imagine what I look like.
I am currently at my site, in Nieafu on the Island group of Vava'u. It is amazing! It is the northern most island group of Tonga. It is a city of 5,000 people that brings in tourism during whale watching season. You can swim with the whales between June and October. I am living on my school compound which is on Mount Talau. I have a gorgeous view of the ocean from my bedroom window, I can't complain. I am living right next to my principal and her family and The Free Church of Tonga and the minister and his family.
I am around a 15 minute walk to town. The town is mostly one strip with stores. It is a big boating expat community and lots of Tongans.
That sunset picture is GAWGEOUS. I want to skype again when we can find a better connection so I can catch the ocean view from your balcony - the glare was too crazy last time... I may have had a nightmare about those Tongan centipedes- whatre they called again? Miss ya! -Geoff
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